Apparatus for oil fractionation



July 21, 1936. F. Wu-STONE 2,048,57fi

APPARATUS FOR OIL FRACTIONATION I M I Filed Dec. 16, 19:53 s Sheets-She et '1 'IIII 3nbentor FEEZEP/CX VV- STO/VE (Itt ornegs July 21, 1936. F. w. STONE APPARATUS FOR OIL FRACTIONATION s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1933 Jnnentor FEEDEE/CA mam/v attorneys July 21,1936.

F. w. s 'oN E APPARATUS FOR 0 IL FRAC T I ONAT ION Filed Dec 16, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 P/Pf ae/cr w STONE fl Gttomegs tionating zone.

Patented July 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PIA-TENT OFFICE 7 A. 2,048,576 APPARATUS Fox on. ERACTIONATION FredericlcW. Stone, Cleveland, Ohio Application D cember, 1933, Serial No. 702,731 11' Claims. (01. 196 -94) This invention relates to fractionahdistillation and more particularly to an improved method of and apparatus for fractionally distilling composite liquids such as hydro-carbon oils land separating such liquids into a number of ;;cons titu ents having different boiling points. I

In the production of petroleum products as gasoline, lubricating oils, 'etc., from crude oil it is customary to subject the crude oil' to'frac? tional distillation in which theraw material is heated to a temperature at which at least a portion thereof is vaporized and the" resulting complex vapors thensuccessively condensed and the resulting liquids separated and collected. In carrying out the fractional distillation process it has been proposed to subject the side stream liquids so collected to additional'heat, supplied by steam or otherwise, to strip such liquids of undesired low boiling point constituents which may have been withdrawn therewith. In the co-pending United States patent application of James M. Garrison, Serial No. 645,266, filed December 1, 1932, with which I am familiar, an improved method of and apparatus for fractional distillation is disclosed in which a bubble tower is provided having aplurality of side stream stripping sections disposed within the shell of the. tower, the stripping sections being [of successive-' 1y increasing cross sectional area from' the top of the tower down. These stripping sections are disposed in a generally cylindrical shell',-the main vapor path through the tower being made up of a series of sections or zones of successively enlarging cross sectional area from the lower 7 part of the tower upwardly. This typeof tower arrangement aifords certain .definite advantages in efliciency of operation'andin economy ofconstruction and maintenance. 'In the apparatus disclosed in the above notedGarrison application means are provided for dividing the reflux liquid at a point just above each of the side stripping sections and causing a definite proportion of the liquid to flow into the stripping sections and the remainder to flow on downthrough the next frac-' The present invention relatesto certain fmodifications and improvements in theIgeneral type of tower and fractionating method described and claimed in said Garrison application.

I have found that by providing means for causing a certain quantity of reflux liquid to flow from one fractionating section. or zone of the tower to the zone below and also providing means for dividing the remainder of the reflux so that a certain proportion of'this remainder is diverted into the side stripping section and the v rest of the remainder is discharged 'into..the fractionating zone. next below, a very accurate, quick and simple control of the operation of 'the tower may be effected. It will. be seen from" the following description that I do notmaintain a definite fixed ratiobetwe'en the quantity of reflux liquid diverted into agsider stripping section'and the quantity. of reflux liquid passing on down through the tower regardless 10 of variations in the total quantity of reflux liquid,

as has been proposed prior to my invention; but rather I prefer to permit this ratio to vary with variations in the quantity of reflux flowing through the tower or with the quantityof vapor passing through the tower and to control the product withdrawn at any side section by means,

of a valve interposed in the means for conveying the predetermined quantity of "reflux liquid fromrone fractionating zone of the tower to the zone immediately. below, said valve being adapted I to vary the flow through thismeans either automatically in accordance with variations in the 7 temperature within the tower between the two zones or by manual manipulation. j I

With my. improved apparatus .and method adjustment of the side stream controls may be made automatically or they maybe conveniently adapted to be operated from a common control point on the ground. This feature is particular- 1y important in present day multiestream towers from which six or more side streams are taken. off and which are often over one hundred feet high. The height of these towers makes the adjustment of the side stream controls, with present day equipment, a task of considerable labor and one which takes considerable time. Frequently many trip-s to the top of the tower are required before the tower operation is ba1'- anced and suitable side stream productsobtained. It also frequently happens that before theioperator can make the necessary changes in the controls to compensate for a change the conditions within the tower the necessity for such change will have passed and'a very consider- 4.5 able quantity of off specification side stream products will have been produced.

It is among the objects of my invention there, fore to provide an improved method of fractional distillation and operation of bubble towers in 5 which the side streams are automatically controlled in accordance with changes in. the temperature in the tower at the'point at which the side stream is withdrawn from the main vapor path through the tower.

in when the isidf'stfiahf as; which the collected .liquidis assists in the recuryr g,

tray 9 of section A, WII'iQlikein downpour takes a j cer'tai 1'1' par and 25' are provided with valvesljh J6" 'are adapted to control the flow of reflux pressure on the diapl' ragms 33 ndj 34 an tray of zone A and betweenfthe bgtt jected to the heatIof-lthe withdrawal pipesilfare pro ded' N of each rectifyingsectioifj can h p products to a suitableplaic'e"01' tenement -disturage. .7. .1 1

It will be notedfthafin a ddltio downpour pipes ..'I and, Vihhii: the adjustable distributing's'ealsjfi provided reflux downpours. '25. a" flux downpour 25 ,t'akes'v a certain reflux fluid from,the,. bQ.t'tom ,tra discharges it directly ahd' eri't flux liquid from the bottom tray. 11. or discharges it directlyfandentirelypnt thettpp tray 20 of zonefC. .Thesdldownpo through. In Figure 2, Ihave diagra'inl'r'lat ally ed the'va-lves 26 and 26519.8 adapted be.

ed by fluid pressure through thlid.

of my apparatus inwhichthe 26 and 2 6 are adapted to be operated by d al)? guise} nd 34 which are acted on by fluidpr e supplied through pipes 351 and 36,; respect ely ,These pipes and 36 preferably lead'to ac trol room and are provided with 'valv 3 8 w h a amawaflr erat d t va y vary the setting of the valves 26 d I A late the amount of reflux flowipg'throu'gfithe downpour pipes 2 5 and 25501 I In orderthat the operatoiymay'pe vi to temperature condition s lexisting zone of thetower temperaturegindi tin recordingdevices39 and,40, o'f an are connected to temperature responsrvee 4i and 42 which are disposed within between the bottom tray ofj zohe 'g'an desired point. In the form' of my v shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusivethey and 26 are connected to be automatiqan s in accordance with changes in temperature within the different zones.

In Figures 8 and 9, I have shown the special adjustable distributing generally been referred "to "by" t l'securjedgtoflthexhub of the bevel gear 46. A ble'Lvertical shaft 41 forms ,a bearing and pportfor the, gear 46 and member 8. Another hijchihas abearing ina bracket and which xteiids 'out'throughthe sidewall I of thetower. jfseen in Figure.2 a stufi'lng box 5| may be dedarlounduthe shaft 49 tov prevent leakage ,toffacilitate,operation of the distributing device. QfinEig'ureB the high portion 43 of the I alllof thecup memberextendsfor approximatelyj half' of, the" circumference of, the cup. when the cup is in the position shown in Figure ,;8 .and reflux is discharged thereinto through the jjdownpour pipe .L'the reflux will evenly overflow f the Tcurved'horizontaledge 44 of the cupbut will j'riotfiverflow the edge .43. 7 Thus, in Figure 8; by m rine Iargerpercentage of the reflux discharged gjnto' tneeupwm overflow the edge 44 on the left handsidejof the ,wall 4, while the smaller percent- ,ag'ebflthe reflux will overflow theedge 44 on the TrighLha'ndjs'ide oftheQWall 4. By turning the ghandwheelfl the cup maybe rotated and it will seen that rotation of the cup in clockwise di- Arection (Figure..8) will increase the percentligeloffthe total reflux entering the cup which is discharged on the right handside' of the wall 4 vvhilerotatingthe cup in counterclockwise will "decrea'se the percentage of reflux discharged on .,the'right hand Side of the wall 4. As the wall 4 Figures 8 and V9 is disposed in the same posijtioliasinfligure 2 it will beseen that, in the posi- ,tio'ri illustrated, a large part of the reflux dis- ;chargedjjthrough pipe Twill overflow onto the bubble trayLS of zone A while a relatively small ,percentage will be discharged into the rectifying sectionD and withdraw as product. i v

QLInQ'placingl a fractionating tower of my improved, type equipped with the manual control :device shown in Figure 7 into operation the adv,i'1.'1 stable distributing seals 8, 8 etc. are positioned withjrespect to the partition walls which bound .the'rectifying sections so that approximately the desiredquantity of liquid is deflected into each rectifying. zone 'In making these approximate 'adjustments'f for the withdrawal of the product litiuid thevalves 26, 26', etc. are preferably left in" mid-position.

g ."fReferringlparticularly to the transfer of reflux from zone Bto zone A the downpour pipe 25 may "be proportioned with respect to downpour ,pipe I .so'Ithat it willcarry a predetermined quantity of th totaldescen'ding. reflux liquid, for example, 25%. ,After the seal 8 is adjusted for approximate operating, conditions the valve 26 may be adJ'HStedifriomf the control room by manipulation lofthel'valve '31 to provide a product of the desired fsuecification which. will be vwithdrawn from the e1gearf48 isjke'yed to the horizontal shaft 49 ,vaplorsjahda hand wheel 52 ,may be provided 11% of the liquid which it' carries}intofl helrec-, 5 tifying section D. a When oneior' m'or'eof th'egside etc. to correct the, conditions illustrated. I o ake valvesf26,2 6" etctautomatic there troll d valves and secure' instant automatic correction for each successive product; 7When" onlyfone' or two-sidegstreams were withstream withdrawals of the towerjaresetthecmid w'nfromi'a towen so called ratio division of umn is allowed to reach approximate equilibrium. the "refluxfliqijiidlgave reasonably satisfactory re- If after the product is testedit'is foundto have 'suts,"the usual products having considerable .7 too high an end boiling point 'therem'otelyfcon- .tolerance' in specification. The condition cited q 10 trolled va1ve'26 may be,opened togallow,morerejinjtneabove exam asf'no'tiso-serious because 10 flux to descend directly into thelower 'ir'actionev rith tnesn er towers and fewer side streams, ating zone, Converselyfii theflproduct has too a "reasonable/balance of fjoper ating conditions low an end boiling point the valve 25 may was usually reached before the product tank was closed. Adjustments are thus made" of valve 2 6 QjofI"Ispfeciflcatior 'j Ihe product tank usually 5 until the desired: product is obtained. Because 'heldjtwentyfourjh ur'isproduction and tended 0f my arrangement for 'controlling the proporto average'fi larities'f tions of reflux and side s'treamtogivethe desired. "f In'fpres entp acticeseven or more side stream I product it is -no't necessary for theroperatorito lproducts: arfe' jeommonlyfrequird. These.prod

V leave the control room to regulatethejfractionatiucts usually have rigid specifications, including ing tower to obtain products which ,come within :Jinitialboilinga point, intermediate boiling points the desired specification. 1 I e and ehd-hqi i g point; [Because of the number of If either the o erating conditions oft V ldistinctproducts,'theremust be'a sharp'division' which heats the. oilsupplied'to' the towerjo the between them, therefore; close fractionation characterfof the oil being processed 'changs,thje ind n aII conditions. Ordinaryratio division of '25 operator may easily make the required adjusb. thefrefiuxljliquid"cannot. correct. operation va- V merit from the control, room by manipulatio noff riationsfVsoon'j'enough inimultiple' stream towers V the valves 31, 38,etc. Inasmuchvas thecharacter andflirequentlyjseverallfproducfi'tanks are ,off. and boiling rangeof therproduct withdrawn'jfrom specifieatioiijfi With my method, whether'the the pipe '24 dependsupon the t tu e h fcontrolf ciyalve's ,26 and r zfij bef manual or auto-' so vapor and'liq'uid' on jthe"tray ;9 ('the upperinost :matic, itfis always undergtheoperatoi s immedi tray of the next lower fractio'nating Zonef'th'e atet contfol. "f 'l'hermometer'smayibe provided in valve'25 may be automatically andthermostatithe contr ,roomfwhich registerfthetemperature cally controlled by apparatus suchfas is shownin :p'f th'elhot oil andjvaporjen'tering the tower, also Figures 1' to 5,inclus'ive to maintain" apredeter- [the temperature in the tower at each side 's'tream w' i e e 9 thetrayfie if sect o and; the top. or. the tower and acco'rdin'gr Thg character of the produ W thd w ESQ? 1y the, operator. can readily adjust the several 1 l tower sidestream is determined by th temper'a- [ya 321i; 26,' etc. to maintain the desired tern ture in the tower at the point of withdrawaland per'ature at each tower section. t by vo u of desce d refluxz 'v rid ave described in detailthefforrns of my in- .1 Schemes h n P p by h i *mfi 'v enton -'illustrated j. in .the'accompanying draw- 40 V of the quantity of reflux liquid withdrawn 33a in'gs j'It' be, understood by those skilled in product to the quan y ofi'efiux' Q n llD? N 'erIlthat modifications and varia-' lower fractionating zon 1. a a n d a y'fi fmade infft he described forms of my tei-inined 'ratio. 'An attempt has been.madeflto V t a 'thoutfdpm fig from the: Spirit 415 obtain uniform specif cation products by. ma thereofli .I ofnot' thereforefwish to be limited mining h st s fidm forfiny g v p j d-- 'tofthe specific" r'rangementsherein shown and uct. fReasonably satisfactory. result h i 1 9 described b'ii claim as my invention all embodiobtained where specifications were not too exact,- inents thereof comingwithin' the scope of the ap ing.'i Various types of adjustable iweir s, (flow pended claimsl' ."Jjf

a V xe Le c. h v been s all' a dpn he'misj; jI,clai'm :f 7 V r 7 R0 taken theory that it is suificient to maintainla 'jf 1.1111 s f at o' atifig w r f the'ttype t constant ratio between reflux and product rescribed, superimposed"fractionating sections, a e l o va i i i l fi f et on. a-rea .rectifyingf-sectionin said tower below one of said s nabl X&mD18iSif the :1 an y o 'fi'action'atingj jctionsftwofdownpour pipes ex tering the lower'part of the column be subjected tending. ff mj g bt o' b h p b a 5 to a tempe e r as of rth uant ty f'fraction'ating,fsctions and, adapted. to" convey be increased 10%v at the ej mpe e e; m e reflux "liguidithereiiom;jmeariszior dividing the heat will be added to'the tower and thisfwill cause fefliiyf enveye fbyeiie. ofsai'd downpour pipes incr ased vap z t all t dej r m and dischargin'gpartthereof into said rectifying fions Causing anirthe predllcis t h v tqo'high bfia i the remainder into the lower frac- 6'0" boiling range. This condition is not corrected .tionat'ingjsiectiong the other dow'npour pipe buntil t increasfid hBatTeaCheSQ p of i? .ing f a l l d ltd:disohargeientirely to the lower l wher'the quantity of reflux i e sed, fliact ion'ating section, valv e me ans for controlling 'maintain the fixed temperature .(usually thQ 'mQ- the flow bf "i-jflii nthi'dflgh a other of s static control). Ifheincreased reflux liquid then b d m anwm a g disposed at a j 5 descends the tower andcorrects'the temperature moteipojrif f b t nifi' e imeans" 7 conditions at the sidestream sections. The usual ia'f fractioiiating tower of the type dea tendency is to over-correct and cause 1709' low a' scribed; sup rimpose fractidnatmg Sections a temperature, in turn'causing the product'to'have rectifying. s""'ction. in towefbemw'dne of Said 7 "too low a boiling range; the 'over correction is fracti'onatingLsections, two, downpour pi e particularly evident if in the meantime the heat input to the bottom of the tower has returned to normal. 7 i

a My method of controlling the side stream products permits quick adjustment of the valves 26,

'tending. from the bottom of the upper of said 'fractionating' sections "and adapted tof convey re-r' flux liquid therefrom, meanere'r dividing the reflux conveyed byone of said downpour pipes and V thereof into" said rectifying sec- 75 tion, and the remainder into the lower fractionating section, the other downpour pipe being adapted to discharge entirely to the lower fractionating section, valve means adapted to control the flow of reflux liquid through the other of said downpour pipes, and. temperature controlled means for operating said valve whereby the flow through said other downpour pipe will vary in accordance with variations in the temperature in the tower substantially at the bottom of said upper fractionating zone.

3. In a fractionating tower having a side stream rectifying section, a partition wall adapted to separate said rectifying section from the body of the tower, an adjustable seal disposed above the top edge of said partition wall, a downpour pipe adapted to discharge reflux liquid into said seal, said adjustable seal including a rotatable cup having one portion of its side wall higher than the rest of the side wall and means, operable from outside of said tower for rotating said cup whereby the percentage of the total reflux entering the cup which overflows the low portion of the side wall and is discharged into the rectifying section may be varied.

4. In a multiple stream fractionating tower of the type described having superimposed fractionating sections and a rectifying section below one of said fractionating sections, two downpour pipes between adjacent fractionating sections, an adjustable seal at the lower end of one of said downpour pipes, said seal being adapted to discharge liquid received from the downpour pipe disposed thereabove partly into said rectifying section and partly into the lower fractionating section, the other of said downpour pipes being adapted to dischargeentirely to said lower fractionating section, a valve for controlling the flow through said other of said downpour pipes, and automatic means, responsive to the temperature in the tower substantially at the level of said downpour pipes, for operating said valve.

5. In a fractionating tower having superimposed fractionating trays and a rectifying section below one of said trays, two downpour pipes from said one of said trays, one of said pipes being adapted to conduct liquid from said tray to a tray below, a valve in said pipe, temperature controlled means, responsive to the temperature in the tower substantially at the level of said downpour pipes, for operating said valve, and flow dividing means for directing part of the liquid delivered thereto to said rectifying section and part to a tray below the tray from which the liquid was withdrawn, the other of said downpour pipes being adapted to conduct liquid to said flow dividing means.

6. In a fractionating tower having superimposed fractionating trays and a rectifying section below one of said trays, two downpour pipes from said one of said trays, one of said pipes being adapted to conduct liquid from said tray to a tray below, a valve in said pipe, temperature controlled means, responsive to the temperature in the tower substantially at the level of said downpour pipes, for operating said valve, flow dividing means for directing part of the liquid delivered thereto to said rectifying section and part to a tray below the tray from which the liquid was withdrawn, the other of said downpour pipes being adapted to conduct liquid to said flow dividing means, and means for adjusting said flow dividing means to vary the proportion of liquid delivered to said rectifying section and to said lower tray.

7. In a fractionating tower having superimposed fractionating trays and a rectifying section below one of said trays, two downpour pipes from said one of said trays, one of said pipes being adapted to conduct liquid from said tray to a tray below, a valve in said pipe, means for operating said valve, and flow dividing means for directing part of the liquid delivered thereto to said rectifying section and part to a tray below the tray from which the liquid was withdrawn, the other of said downpour pipes being adapted to conduct liquid to said flow dividing means.

8. In a fractionating tower having superimosed fractionating trays and a rectifying section below one of said trays, two downpour pipes from said one of said trays, one of said pipes being adapted to conduct liquid from said tray to a tray below, a valve in said pipe, means for operating said valve from a remote point, and flow dividing means for directing part of the liquid delivered thereto to said rectifying section and part to a tray below the tray from which the liquid was withdrawn, the other of said downpour pipes being adapted to conduct liquid to said flow dividing means.

9. In a fractionating tower having superimposed fractionating trays and a rectifying section below one of said trays, two downpour pipes from said one of said trays, one of said pipes being adapted to conduct liquid from said tray to a tray below, a valve in said pipe, means for operating said valve, flow dividing means for directing part of the liquid delivered thereto to said rectifying section and part to a tray below the tray from which the liquid was withdrawn, the other of said downpour pipes being adapted to conduct liquid to said flow dividing means, and means for adjusting said flow dividing means to vary the proportion of liquid delivered to said rectifying section and to said lower tray.

10. In a fractionating towerhaving superimposed fractionating trays and a rectifying section below one of said trays, two downpour pipes from said one of said trays, one of said pipes being adapted to conduct liquid from said tray to a tray, below, a valve in said pipe, means for operating said valve from a remote point, flow dividing means for directing part-of the liquid delivered thereto to said rectifying section and part to a tray below the tray from which the liquid with withdrawn, the other of said downpour pipes being adapted to conduct liquid to said flow dividing means and means for adjusting said flow dividing means to vary the proportion of liquid delivered to said rectifying section and to said lower tray.

11. In apparatus of the type described, a tower having a plurality of superimposed fractionating trays, means for rectifyingmaterial withdrawn from one of said trays, two pipes leading from said one of said trays, a flow dividing means for directing part of the liquid delivered thereto to said rectifying means and part to a tray below the tray from which the liquid Was Withdrawn, one of said pipes being adapted to conduct liquid to said flow dividing means and the other of said pipes being adapted to direct liquid to said tray below the tray from which the liquid was withdrawn, a valve in said other pipe, and means for operating ,said valve to control the flow through said other pipe,

FREDERICK W. STONE. 

